bent oil pan on 126?

[RKreutzer]

Hi everybody,

I changed oil and filter as well as the sump gasket today. The gasket was split at various spots when I replaced the oil level sensor last year as my torque wrench was out of alignment.

But even after recalibration, the gasket starts to split before I reach the 8 ft lbs that is the recommended torque. I stopped tightening once I saw the gasket come out a bit, but I have some leaks now after I took a test drive.

Is this pan bent too much upwards at the bolt openings and will never seal anymore?

What is the experts take?

I will tighten it a little more tomorrow morning to get by to the next oil change.

Thanks in advance

Reinhard Kreutzer

[126nut]

You don't need no stinkin' torque wrench!!

Seriously,

It looks like it has gotten too tight.

Maybe it was supposed to be eight inch pounds??

Chas

[RKreutzer]

Thanks Chas,

it is 11 NM per the CD which translates into 8 ft lbs.

I thought of using a 10 or 11 mm socket under it and then use a 7 mm socket with a light hammer on top to straighten it out. Did anybody try something like that?

But then the pan is only $37.47 at FastLane and it is probably better just to replace it.

[MikeTangas]

I vote for buying a new pan from FastLane. That should be the easiest, least frustrating way to true the sealing surface.

[stevebfl]

The pan is toast. All the bolt holes are dimpled from overtightening.

[RKreutzer]

Thanks Mike and Steve,

thats what I suspected. This morning, there were 2 new oil spots about a sqft each under the pan. I tightened it to 8 ft lbs and the gasket split at prob. 60 % of the holes. I have some paper under it now to see how much it leaks still.

I'll go with a new pan and gasket.

Thanks again

Reinhard Kreutzer

[MikeTangas]

I might suggest setting your torque wrench to a little less than 8 ft/lbs. Make sure to bring all the bolts up evenly until the pan is in contact, then evenly tighten the bolts in a pattern around the pan. No sense buggering a new pan and cutting another new seal.

[RKreutzer]

Thanks Mike,

thats how I did it the first and now the second time. I had the wrench set to 5 ft lbs but the gasket started to split before I even reached that point. Thats why I stopped tightening yesterday. I guess it is do to the dimpling now. But it leaked too much, so I tightened it to 8 ft lbs this morning with more splitting.

When you say "in a pattern" do you mean crosswise like the star pattern I use for tires? I tightened all the bolts to contact first and then went around the pan a few times just tightening every bolt a little further and then going to the next bolt.

The cardboard I placed under the pan does not show a drop yet (2 1/2 hours later). I might get away with the replacement til the next oil change.

Thanks again.

[wbain5280]

You could just hammer them flat and save some money.

[afmcorp]

you might think about getting an inch pound torque wrench clicker type. 8 ftlbs is 96 inch pounds. 96 is generally 1/3 to a 1/2 of the torque range and would likely be more accurate. on the other hand a clicker ft pounder goes from 0 to 150. so 8 lbs is mighty low on the scale and you may just get a late click. and if you have a beam type wrench i've never seen one that wasn't already sprung to 2 or 3 ft lbs.

i've made it a practice that if i'm working with 10 ft lbs i use my inch pound wrench.

tks
craig

[RKreutzer]

Thanks Craig,

you are right, the range from 0 to 150 is probably a stretch for any tool and the torquing is more important at the lower end.
If it is +/- 5 ft lbs off at 80, no big deal, but +/- 3 at 8 will make a difference.